JOHN WESLEY'S BIBLE COMMENTARY NOTES - 2 KINGS 9

IX A prophet commissions Jehu to take upon him the government, and destroy the house of Ahab, ver. 1-10. Jehu communicates this to his captains, ver. 11-15. Marches to Jezreel, ver. 16-20. Kills Joram, ver. 21-26. Ahaziah, ver. 27-29. And Jezebel, ver. 30-37.

Verse 1. Ramoth - The kings of Israel and Judah were both absent, and Jehu, as it seems, was left in chief command.

Verse 7. I may avenge,&c. - That they were idolaters was bad enough: yet that is not mentioned here: the controversyGod has with them, is for being persecutors. Nothing fills the measure of the iniquity of any prince so as this doth, nor brings a surer or sorer ruin.

Verse 11. Mad fellow - They perceived him to be a prophet by his habit, and gestures, and manner of speech. And these prophane soldiers esteemed the prophets mad-men. Those that have no religion, commonly speak of those that are religious with disdain, and look upon them as crack-brained. They said of our Lord, He is beside himself; of St. Paul, that much learning had made him mad. The highest wisdom is thus represented as folly, and they that best understand themselves, as men beside themselves.

Verse 13. They hasted - Godputting it into their hearts thus readily to own him. Under him - Under Jehu. A ceremony used in the eastern parts towards superiors, in token of reverence to his person, that they would not have his feet to touch the ground, and that they put themselves and their concerns under his feet, and into his disposal. The stairs - In some high and eminent place, whence he might be seen and owned by all the soldiers, who were called together upon this great occasion.

Verse 21. Portion of Naboth - The very sight of that ground was enough to make Jehu triumph and Joram tremble. The circumstances of events are sometimes so ordered by Divine providence, as to make the punishment answer the sin, as face answers face in a glass.

Verse 22. Whoredoms, &c. - This may be understood, either literally; spiritual whoredom, which is idolatry, being often punished with corporal: and witchcraft was often practiced by idolaters: or spiritually, of her idolatry, which is often called whoredom, because it is a departing from God, to whom we are tied by many obligations; and witchcraft, because it doth so powerfully bewitchmen's minds; and because it is a manifest entering into covenant with the devil. He mentions not Joram's, but his mother's sins; because they were more notorious and infamous: and because they were the principal cause why God inflicted, and he was come to execute these judgments. The way of sin can never be the way of peace.

Verse 24. The arrow - It was one of God's arrows, which he ordained against the persecutor.

Verse 27. He died - The history is briefly and imperfectly described here, and the defects supplied in (the book of Chronicles, is great part written for that end, to supply things omitted in the book of Kings) out of both it may be thus compleated: he fled first to Megiddo, and thence to Samaria, where he was caught, and thence brought to Jehu, and by his sentence was put to death at Megiddo.

Verse 31. Had Zimri - Remember thy brother traitor Zimri had but a very short enjoyment of the benefit of his treason.

Verse 34. And said - It seems he had forgot the charge given him above, ver. 10. A king's daughter - He doth not say, because she was a king's wife, lest he should seem to shew any respect to that wicked house of Ahab, which God had devoted to utter destruction.